Textile machine

ABSTRACT

Strand handling apparatus including a system for controlling a cycling carriage which scans and services bobbin winding stations on a spinning machine, or the like. The control system provides a signal indicating when a station being scanned is operational and service signals indicating when the station requires servicing. Upon receipt of both the operational and servicing signals the control system initiates a work cycle of the carriage to service the station. The service signals include both a full bobbin signal and a strand interruption signal. If there are more than a predetermined number of interruption signals during a cycle, the control system does not cause servicing of the stations responsive to this signal. If a roll-wrap occurs on a drafting roll of a station the strand is broken and does not enter the drafting rolls and the operational signal is not provided at this station so that the carriage bypasses the station until it is again placed in operational condition by an attendant. Upon starting-up with fresh bobbins at all of the stations, most of the stations would be ready to have their full bobbins doffed at about the same time, and the carriage would be overworked. Therefore, at startup the control system provides for doffing the stations in succession at timed intervals, and in conjunction with the operational and the servicing signals, to randomize the future doffing cycle of the stations.

United States Patent Rebsamen 1 Feb. 1,1972

[54] TEXTILE MACHINE [72] Inventor: Arthur Rehsamen, East Greenwich, R.l.

[73] Assignee: Leesona Corporation, Warwick, RI.

[22] Filed: May 1, 1970 [2]] Appl. No.: 33,682

[52] US. Cl. ..57/52, 57/34 R, 57/81,

57/86, 57/l56, 250/219 R [51] Int. Cl. ..D01h 9/10 [58] Field of Search ..57/l56, 34, 52, 53, 78, 80,

Primary ExaminerStanley N. Gilreath Assistant ExaminerWemer H. Schroeder Attomey-Albert P. Davis and Burnett W. Norton [5 7] ABSTRACT Strand handling apparatus including a system for controlling a cycling carriage which scans and services bobbin winding stations on a spinning machine, or the like. The control system provides a signal indicating when a station being scanned is operational and service signals indicating when the station requires servicing. Upon receipt of both the operational and servicing signals the control system initiates a work cycle of the carriage to service the station. The service signals include both a full bobbin signal and a strand interruption signal. If there are more than a predetermined number of interruption signals during a cycle, the control system does not cause servicing of the stations responsive to this signal. If a roll-wrap occurs on a drafting roll of a station the strand is broken and does not enter the drafting rolls and the operational signal is not provided at this station so that the carriage bypasses the station until it is again placed in operational condition by an attendant. Upon starting-up with fresh bobbins at all of the stations, most of the stations would be ready to have their full bobbins doffed at about the same time, and the carriage would be overworked. Therefore, at startup the control system provides for dotting the stations in succession at timed intervals, and in conjunction with the operational and the servicing signals, to randomize the future doffing cycle of the stations.

17 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTED FEB H272 3.6383112 gTa 7RI BTRI {5 I20 mam- j 94 sv f Q FIG 3 712M520;

BY ARTHUE JEBSAMEN W W AT TO RNE YS TEXTILE MACHINE This invention relates to a winding apparatus and method and, more particularly, to a control system for randomizing servicing of winding stations of the apparatus.

As used herein the terms bobbin and package refers to the product of a winder, spinner or twister or other strand handling machine, which winds a strand so that it may be readily moved from place to place, or to a core, or the like, for receiving the strand as it is being wound. The term yarn is employed in a general sense to apply to all kinds of strand material, either textile or otherwise.

Automatic operation of a spinning or twisting machine is disclosed in a Leesona Corporation U.S. Pat. No. 3,403,866 which, in part, is directed to a servicing carriage for patrolling and scanning a series of bobbin winding stations of the machine. The carriage includes a control system for initiating servicing of any station requiring attention. More particularly, the carriage stops at a station to dotf a full bobbin, and to donn an empty bobbin core and initiate winding on the core, or in the event of disruption of the advancing strand of yarn to the bobbin, the carriage removes the partially filled bobbin, and donns an empty core and initiates winding of the strand. In the event that the carriage is unable to adequately service the station, the station is rendered nonoperational and thereafter the carriage bypasses the station until an attendant manually services the station and again places it in operational condition. Other related features are disclosed in copending Leesona Corporation U.S. patent applications, as follows: Ser. No. 748,412, filed July 29, 1968, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,498,039 granted Mar. 3, I970; Ser. No. 877,678, filed Nov. 18, 1969; and Ser. No. 884,960, filed Dec. 15, 1969.

The invention, in brief, is directed to an apparatus and a method for servicing a winding, spinning, or twisting machine, or the like. A control system initiates a work cycle of a carriage responsive to a signal at any of a plurality of stations for indicating that the station is operational, and another signal for indicating when the station requires servicing. The servicing signal may be either a signal indicating interruption of the strand advancing to the bobbin, or a signal indicating a full bobbin, for example. The control system may provide for randomizing the cycle of doffing of full bobbins during normal operation and/or when the machine is started up with fresh bobbin coresat substantially all of its stations, as during changeover in the size of the bobbin cores or the type of strand being processed. Such randomizing may also operate in conjunction with normal operation and servicing of the stations.

It is a primary object of this invention to provide a new and improved strand handling apparatus and method.

A further object is provision of an apparatus and a method for randomizing doffing of full packages wound at stations of the apparatus.

Another object is provision of a new and improved strand handling apparatus and a method including a control system for a patrolling carriage of a winding, spinning or twisting machine, or the like, the machine having a plurality of stations for winding packages, and the control system spacing at desired intervals the completion of winding of full ones of the packages by initialing servicing of the stations in succession for doffing the package and starting winding of a new package in a timed succession. Related objects include: operating the carriage to doff the packages and start winding of new packages independently of normal servicing of the stations by operating the carriage in the times succession; preventing successive operations of the tender at any of the stations responsive to the timed succession operation; restarting timing operation responsive to the tender being actuated to service a station; provision in the control system for rendering the randomizing system inoperative to actuate the carriage after substantially all of the stations have once been serviced, as by provision for rendering the randomizing system inoperative after a predetermined timed interval; provision of an indicator, one for each of the stations, operable for indicating whether or not the station has been serviced by the tender,

and the randomizing system being responsive only to the indicator at any station indicating that the station has not been serviced for actuating the carriage to service the particular station.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary, schematic plan view of a spinning machine incorporating a preferred embodiment of control and servicing apparatus, with parts removed and broken away for clearer illustration;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary, schematic elevational view taken generally along the line 2-2 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an electrical diagram of a control system for the apparatus; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary electrical diagram of a modified control system for another embodiment of the apparatus.

Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawing, a spinning frame 10 includes a base 12 on which a series of spindles 14 are suitably journaled and rotated, one at each of a plurality of stations 16. Each spindle l4 removably mounts a bobbin core telescoped on the spindle and on which a strand of yarn is wound to form a package such as a bobbin 18.

As is more fully discussed in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 3,403,866, in order to scan the bobbins I8 and to service any stations 16 requiring attention, a pair of parallel tracks 20 are mounted on the base 12 and receives a tender and, more particularly, receives wheels 22 of a carriage 24 which is traversed back and forth on the tracks past the stations 16. The carriage wheels 22 are suitably journaled on a carriage body 26 and, more particularly, a pair of these wheels 22 at the right end of the carriage body 26 are fixedly mounted on a shaft 28 received in journals 30 on the carriage body. This shaft 28 has fixed thereto a driven pulley wheel 32 connected by a timing belt 34 with a drive pulley wheel 36 of a suitable reversible air motor 38mounted on the carriage body 26. As the carriage 24 moves toward the right end of its tracks 20, a pivoted actuator 40 of a switch 42 mounted on the carriage body 26 engages an abutment 44 on the base 12 to reverse the position of the switch actuator 40 and thereby the direction of the carriage 24; and at the left end of the tracks 20 the actuator 40 engages another abutment 46 to again reverse the carriage. The switch 42 has a contact 42l (FIG. 3) connected in circuit with a four-way solenoid valve 48 so that when the switch actuator engages one of the abutments, the solenoid valve is energized to reverse operation of the motor 38, and when the switch actuator engages the other of the abutments, the solenoid valve is taken out of the electric circuit to again reverse the direction of operation of the air motor, thus causing the carriage 24 to traverse to and fro past the bobbins 18 being wound at the stations 16.

During normal operation of the machine, roving Y (FIG. 2) advances downwardly through a trumpet guide 50 and a set of drafting rolls 52, then past an inlet in a vacuum duct 54 for receiving and removing yarn in the event of roving or yarn breakage downstream of the drafting rolls, and then through a lower yarn guide 56 centered above the bobbin l8 and the rotating spindle l4, and from the lower guide 56 through a traveller 58 on a ring 60 encircling the bobbin l8 and mounted on a ring rail 62 (not shown in FIG. I) which moves up and down as the yarn advances from the traveler and is wound onto the bobbin. The parts 50-62 are all suitably mounted on the base 12.

If the station 16 is in an operational condition, an indicator in the form of a roving breaker 64 is in an operational position as indicated by the solid lines in FIG. 2. The roving breaker 64 is pivoted at its lower end to a suitable fixed support 66 of the machine and carries suitable means, such as a plurality of pins 68, for engaging the roving Y above the trumpet guide 50 when the roving breaker 64 is pivoted to a position against a frame member 70 as indicated by dotted lines in FIG. 2. Movement of the roving breaker 64 from its operational to its nonoperational position may be effected in any suitable manner, and as illustrated in FIG. 2 is effected by opening a solenoid shutoff valve 72 (FIGS. 2 and 3) to project a jet of air from a tube 74 fixed on the carriage body 26 and aligned with the roving breaker in its operational position, with the carriage in its servicing position at a station. Opening of the valve 72 may be controlled in any desired manner, for example by a suitable signal as disclosed in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 3,403,866 or as described with reference to the control system of FIG. 3.

As the carriage 24 is moving past a station 16, an operational signal is provided by a suitable photoelectric cell 76 fixedly mounted on the carriage body 26 and energized by a ray of light 78 originating from a suitable lamp 80 fixed on the carriage body and reflected off of the roving breaker 64 when the roving breaker is in its operational position as shown by solid lines in FIG. 2. This signal, combined with a servicing signal starts the work cycle of the carriage 24. The servicing signal may be provided by energization of a second photocell 82 fixed on the carriage body 26 and receiving a ray of light 84 from a lamp 86 fixed on the carriage body and reflected off of the yarn Y at a point between the drafting rolls 52 and the lower yarn guide 56 to provide a strand interruption signal; or by a full bobbin signal from a pair of photoelectric cells 88 (FIGS. 1 and 2) fixed to the carriage body 26 and each receiving through a lens 90 different rays 92, one reflected ofi opposite sides of the yarn on a full bobbin 18. The rays 92 are provided one by each of two lamps 94 fixed to the carriage body. The foregoing is more fully described in a copending Leesona Corporation patent applicationby William R. Whitney, Ser. No. 671,918, filed Sept. 15, 1967, for a Full Package Signalling Device, and all of the photocells and lamps herein disclosed may be of the type referred to therein.

If, during a cycle of the carriage 24 in one direction past the stations, an excess number of interruption signals occur, this signal is temporarily eliminated from the control circuit so that the carriage 24 will not stop to service stations under this circumstance, as will be described with reference to FIG. 3.

In the event that the yarn or roving is broken, the roving may wrap around a roll, as 96, of the drafting rolls 52 to form a roll-wrap which, if permitted to build to a large diameter could damage or jam the equipment. It is therefore desirable'to break the roving by operating the roving breaker 64 from its operational position to its nonoperational position (phantom lines, FIG. 2). In order to detect a roll-wrap, a photoelectric cell 98 receives a ray of light 100 projected from a lamp 102 and reflected from the roll 96 to the photoelectric cell 98. The cell 98 and the lamp 102 are mounted on the carriage. The roll 96 preferably has a dark surface color to contrast with relatively light roving color so that should the yarn wrap about the roll the intensity of the light reflected from the yarn to the photoelectric cell 98 will be increased to activate the cell and thereby initiate a roll-wrap signal for operating the solenoid valve 72 and thereby the roving breaker 64, as will be further described with reference to the control circuit (FIG. 3).

When the spinning frame has been shut down and all fresh bobbin cores have been placed on the spindles 14 and threaded up, the spinning frame is in operation. However, aside from yarn breakage or roll wraps causing servicing of certain of the stations 16 by the carriage, all of the stations would be ready to be doffed at about the same time. Thus, the carriage 24 would service practically none of the stations for a long period until almost all of the bobbins were full of yarn, whereupon the carriage would be overworked and would be unable to efficiently doff and thread up the stations. To overcome this difficulty, provision is made for randomizing doffing and thread up of the stations under circumstances where all or most of the spindles are carrying bobbins having about the same amount of yarn wound thereon. To this end, and with reference to FIG. 2, the carriage 24 is provided with an additional light source for another photocell 112. The light port of the spinning frame ,10 in a manner similar to the roving breaker indicator 64, previously described, and are maintained in an erect position (solid lines in FIG. 2) until the station has once been serviced for any reason, whereupon the control system (FIG. 3) opens a solenoid valve 116 so that a jet of air is projected against the randomizing indicator 1 14 to pivot the indicator downwardly against a stop 118 fixed to the spinning frame 10, so that the ray of light 111 is not reflected from the indicator 114 and the photocell 112 will no longer provide a signal causing the carriage 24 to stop at the particular station having its indicator 114 down. Operation of the carriage to randomize dofi'mg of the stations may be controlled automatically by a master timer relay 7TR (FIG. 3) in the control system so that randomizing continues only for a predetermined period of time sufficient to service all of the stations 16.

Referring to FIG. 3, the operational signal photocell 76 is connected through an amplifier 1A with a relay 1R and upon energization of this photocell a normally open contact 1R1 of this relay closes. If the roving breaker 64 is in its nonoperational position, as shown by dotted lines in FIG. 2, theoperational signal photocell 76 is not energized and the relay contact 1R1 remains open. In the event that the roving and yarn Y is advancing properly to the bobbin 18, the photocell 32 for providing the interrupted or broken yarn servicing signal is energized and throughan amplifier 2A energizes a relay 2R which thereupon opens its normally closed contact 2R1, which is in series with the contact 1R1. In the event that the bobbin 18 is full, the pair of photocells 88 are simultaneously energized and through an amplifier 3A energize a relay 3R which thereupon closes its normally open contact 3R1 which is in series with the contact 1R1 and in parallel with the contact 2R1. Upon the occurrence of a roll-wrap, the photoelectric cell 98 is activated and its signal is amplified by an amplifier 4A which actuates a relay 4R to close its contact 4R1 in series with the contact 1R1 and in parallel with the contacts 2R1 and 3R1. Now, if the contact 1R1 is closed and one or more of the contacts 2R1, 3R1 or 4R1 are also closed, a starting signal is provided to a control unit 1040f the carriage 24 causing the carriage to stop at the station 16 requiring service and to proceed with servicing of the station, as described in the previously mentioned patent, U.S. Pat. No. 3,403,866. Otherwise, the carriage continues its patrolling operation and bypasses the station. Also, upon actuation of the relay 4R its normally open contact 4R2 also closes to actuate a terminal time delay relay STR which closes its normally open contact STRl to provide a holding circuit for the relay STR, and to actuate the normally closed solenoid valve 72 whereupon the jet of air is projected from the tube 74 to pivot the roving breaker 64 from its operational position (solid lines FIG. 2) to its nonoperational position (phantom lines), to break the roving Y.

As previously mentioned, the control circuit functions to take the interruption signal from the photoelectric cell 82 out of circuit in the event that more than a predetermined number of such signals are provided during a given period, herein a cycle of the carriage 24 in one direction past the stations 16. To this end, a counter C (FIG. 3) is provided in series with the normally closed contact 2R1. The counter may be of any suitable type, for example a Guardian stepping relay MER-l2 VBC, manufactured by Guardian Manufacturing Company, 1550 W Carol Avenue, Chicago, Ill. Such a stepping relay is also provided with a reset. As indicated in FIG. 3, when the strand is broken so that the photoelectric cell 82 is not ac- A tivated, the normally closed contact 2R1 remains closed and if the station is operational the contact 1R1 will close, thereby stopping the carriage by actuating the control unit 104 and also providing a pulse to the counter. If the predetermined number of strand interruption signals are provided during a cycle, the counter closes its normally open contact C1 in series with the strand interruption relay 2R, thus keeping this relay in circuit so that its normally closed contact 2R1 remains open and the strand interruption signal from the photocell 82 does not operate to stop the carriage 24. By adjusting the counter, the predetermined number of pulses which will cause its contact C1 to close may be set at any given number. Once the counter C has closed its contact C1, the contact remains closed until the counter is reset. If the predetermined number of interruption signals are not received during a cycle, upon engagement of the actuator 40 of the switch 42 to reverse the direction of the carriage by operating the switch contact 42-1, an instant opening contact 42-2 of the switch 42 closes momentarily to provide a reset pulse to the counter C thereby resetting the counter back to zero for again counting the number of interruption signals during the next cycle. However, the counter is not necessarily automatically reset if its contact C1 has closed. Optionally, a relay 6R may be provided in series with the contact C1 to be actuated by closing of the contact C1 to open its normally closed contact 6R1 in series with the instant opening contact 42-2, so that a reset pulse is not provided to the counter C.

In order to place the randomizing system in operation, a manually operable pushbutton switch 120 is momentarily closed to energize the master timing relay 7TR which, upon being energized, closes its normally open contact 7TR1 to place a randomizing timing relay 8TR in circuit, and closes its normally open contact 7TR2, placing the photocell 112 in circuit. The master timing relay 7TR is preset so that upon being energized it maintains its contact 7TR1 closed for a period of time sufficient for servicing of all of the stations once. The randomizing timing relay 8TR starts timing anew each time it is deenergized, so that opening of the contact 1R1, or concurrent opening of contacts 2R1, 3R1, 4R1 or 7R1 will cause the randomizing timing relay 8TR to start timing anew. This relay, upon being energized, opens its contact 8TR1 and at the end of the time interval this contact automatically closes. If the randomizing photocell 112 is energized its signal passes through an amplifier 7A to energize a relay 7R which closes its normally open contact 7R1 to energize the control unit 104 and initiate servicing operation of the carriage 24, and to reset the timing relay 8TR. The randomizing relay may be of any suitable type, for example, a Model 2422AF AGASTAT, adjustable from one-half to 10 minutes timing span, and sold by Elastic Stop Nut Corporation of America, Elizabeth, NJ. At the end of the master timing relay 7TR timing interval its contacts 7TR1 and 7TR2 open so that the randomizing system is no longer in operation. When the carriage stops to service a station, a terminal delay time delay relay 9TR is energized and closes its normally open contact 9TR1, thereby opening the solenoid valve 116 so that the jet of air moves the indicator 114 to its depressed position. Thus, the photocell 112 will not be again activated at this station.

Another embodiment of the apparatus is shown in FIG. 4, wherein the elements 112-118, 7A, 7R are eliminated. Also the timing relay contact 7TR2 is substituted for by a normally open contact 7TR3 in place of the relay contact 7R1. Thus, the system is simplified and the carriage will stop to service a station each time the timing relay 8TR times out regardless of whether or not the carriage has previously stopped a station.

While this invention has been described with reference to particular embodiments in a particular environment, various changes may be apparent to one skilled in the art and the invention is therefore not to be limited to such embodiments or environment except as set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. For use with apparatus having a plurality of stations for winding packages or the like, a system for spacing at desired intervals servicing of the stations having full ones of the packages, the system comprising tending means actuable for servicing the stations in succession by doffing the package and starting winding of a new package at any of said stations during winding operation of the apparatus, and control means including first means for actuating the tending means in a timed succession to doff the packages and start winding of new packages, and second means operable concurrently with said first means for actuating the tending means to so service the stations independently of operation of said first means.

2. A system as set forth in claim 1 in which said control means further includes means for rendering said first means inoperative to actuate said tending means to twice so service any of said stations.

3. A system as set forth in claim 2 in which the rendering means includes indicator means, one for each of said stations, operable for indicating whether or not the station has been serviced by the tending means, and said first means is responsive only to said indicator means indicating that a station has not been so serviced for so actuating the tending means to so service the station.

4. For use with apparatus having a plurality of stations for winding packages or the like, a system for spacing at desired intervals servicing of the stations having full ones of the packages, the system comprising tending means actuable for servicing the stations in succession by doffing the package and starting winding of a new package at any of said stations during winding operation of the apparatus, and control means including first means for actuating the tending means in a timed succession to doff the packages and start winding of new packages, the first means includes timing means normally operable for so actuating the tending means in said timed succession, and in which the timing means is operable for measuring timed periods, means for operating said timing means to start measuring one of said periods each time the tending means is actuated to service a station, and means for effectively preventing successive operations of the tending means at the same station responsive to operation of the timing means.

5. A system as set forth in claim 4 in which the control means includes second means operable concurrently with said first means for actuating the tending means to so service the stations independently of operation of said first means.

6. A system as set forth in claim 5 in which said control means further includes means for rendering said first means inoperative to actuate said tending means to twice so service any of said stations.

7. A system as set forth in claim 6 in which the rendering means includes indicator means, one for each of said stations, operable for indicating whether or not the station has been serviced by the tending means, and said first means is responsive only to said indicator means indicating that a station has not been so serviced for so actuating the tending means to so service the station.

8. A system as set forth in claim 7 in which said control means further includes master means for rendering said first means inoperative to actuate said tending means to so service the stations after substantially all of the stations have once been so serviced.

9. For use with apparatus having a plurality of stations for winding yarn packages or the like, a method of spacing servicing of the stations, having full ones of the packages, at a desired interval by operating a tender for servicing the stations to doff the package and start winding of a new package at any of said stations, the method comprising the steps of actuating the tender in a timed succession of measured time periods to so service the stations, and actuating the tender to so service the stations independently of the first said actuating step.

10. A method as set forth in claim 9 including the step of rendering said first actuating step inoperative to so actuate said tender a second time at any of the stations.

11. A method as set forth in claim 10 in which the step of rendering said first actuating step inoperative includes indicating at each station whether or not the station has been serviced by the tender, and actuating the tender to so service a station responsive only to such indication that a station has not been so serviced.

12. For use with apparatus having a plurality of stations for winding yarn packages or the like, a method of spacing servicing of the stations, having full ones of the packages, at a desired interval by operating a tender for servicing the stations to doff the'package and start winding of a new package at any of said stations, the method comprising the steps of actuating the tender in a timed succession of measured time periods to so service the stations and effectively preventing successive operations of the tender at the same station responsive to such timed succession, and starting measuring of said periods each time the tender is actuated to so service a station.

13. A method as set forth in claim 12 including the step of rendering said first actuating step inoperative to so actuate said tender after substantially all of the stations have once been so serviced.

14. A method as set forth in claim 12 including the step of actuating the tender to so service the stations independently of the first said actuating step.

15. A method as set forth in claim 14 including the step of rendering said first actuating step inoperative to so actuate said tender twice.

16. A method as set forth in claim 15 in which the step of rendering said first actuating step inoperative includes indicating at each station whether or not the station has been serviced by the tender, and actuating the tender to so service the station responsive only to such indication that a station has not been so serviced.

17. A method as set forth in claim 16 includingthe step of rendering said first actuating step inoperative to so actuate said tender after substantially all of the stations have once been so serviced. 

1. For use with apparatus having a plurality of stations for winding packages or the like, a system for spacing at desired intervals servicing of the stations having full ones of the packages, the system comprising tending means actuable for servicing the stations in succession by doffing the package and starting winding of a new package at any of said stations during winding operation of the apparatus, and control means including first means for actuating the tending means in a timed succession to doff the packages and start winding of new paCkages, and second means operable concurrently with said first means for actuating the tending means to so service the stations independently of operation of said first means.
 2. A system as set forth in claim 1 in which said control means further includes means for rendering said first means inoperative to actuate said tending means to twice so service any of said stations.
 3. A system as set forth in claim 2 in which the rendering means includes indicator means, one for each of said stations, operable for indicating whether or not the station has been serviced by the tending means, and said first means is responsive only to said indicator means indicating that a station has not been so serviced for so actuating the tending means to so service the station.
 4. For use with apparatus having a plurality of stations for winding packages or the like, a system for spacing at desired intervals servicing of the stations having full ones of the packages, the system comprising tending means actuable for servicing the stations in succession by doffing the package and starting winding of a new package at any of said stations during winding operation of the apparatus, and control means including first means for actuating the tending means in a timed succession to doff the packages and start winding of new packages, the first means includes timing means normally operable for so actuating the tending means in said timed succession, and in which the timing means is operable for measuring timed periods, means for operating said timing means to start measuring one of said periods each time the tending means is actuated to service a station, and means for effectively preventing successive operations of the tending means at the same station responsive to operation of the timing means.
 5. A system as set forth in claim 4 in which the control means includes second means operable concurrently with said first means for actuating the tending means to so service the stations independently of operation of said first means.
 6. A system as set forth in claim 5 in which said control means further includes means for rendering said first means inoperative to actuate said tending means to twice so service any of said stations.
 7. A system as set forth in claim 6 in which the rendering means includes indicator means, one for each of said stations, operable for indicating whether or not the station has been serviced by the tending means, and said first means is responsive only to said indicator means indicating that a station has not been so serviced for so actuating the tending means to so service the station.
 8. A system as set forth in claim 7 in which said control means further includes master means for rendering said first means inoperative to actuate said tending means to so service the stations after substantially all of the stations have once been so serviced.
 9. For use with apparatus having a plurality of stations for winding yarn packages or the like, a method of spacing servicing of the stations, having full ones of the packages, at a desired interval by operating a tender for servicing the stations to doff the package and start winding of a new package at any of said stations, the method comprising the steps of actuating the tender in a timed succession of measured time periods to so service the stations, and actuating the tender to so service the stations independently of the first said actuating step.
 10. A method as set forth in claim 9 including the step of rendering said first actuating step inoperative to so actuate said tender a second time at any of the stations.
 11. A method as set forth in claim 10 in which the step of rendering said first actuating step inoperative includes indicating at each station whether or not the station has been serviced by the tender, and actuating the tender to so service a station responsive only to such indication that a station has not been so serviced.
 12. For use with apparatus having a plurality of stations for winding yArn packages or the like, a method of spacing servicing of the stations, having full ones of the packages, at a desired interval by operating a tender for servicing the stations to doff the package and start winding of a new package at any of said stations, the method comprising the steps of actuating the tender in a timed succession of measured time periods to so service the stations and effectively preventing successive operations of the tender at the same station responsive to such timed succession, and starting measuring of said periods each time the tender is actuated to so service a station.
 13. A method as set forth in claim 12 including the step of rendering said first actuating step inoperative to so actuate said tender after substantially all of the stations have once been so serviced.
 14. A method as set forth in claim 12 including the step of actuating the tender to so service the stations independently of the first said actuating step.
 15. A method as set forth in claim 14 including the step of rendering said first actuating step inoperative to so actuate said tender twice.
 16. A method as set forth in claim 15 in which the step of rendering said first actuating step inoperative includes indicating at each station whether or not the station has been serviced by the tender, and actuating the tender to so service the station responsive only to such indication that a station has not been so serviced.
 17. A method as set forth in claim 16 including the step of rendering said first actuating step inoperative to so actuate said tender after substantially all of the stations have once been so serviced. 